365 Days of UnderAppreciated Yaoi
by Itzika
Summary: It won't stay anime, and it's just yaoi only for the first week. After that, all pairings are fair game. Today's pairing: Sesshoumaru x InuYasha, of InuYasha! Rated PG13.
1. Day 1

Chapter Rating: PG-13

Chapter Warnings: Implied lime, Yaoi (check the title, people!), Sniper being hentai

Itzika: So, welcome to 365 Days of Under-appreciated Yaoi! I promise you I will hold to the idea of yaoi for one week, but after that yuri, slash (which is different from yaoi and yuri in that it applies to Western stuff), and heterosexual couples (I know, where's the fun in that?) are fair game as well. Today's match-up is something that I just wanted to see: Sniper and Sea Man, of Yu Yu Hakusho's Chapter Black saga!

Sniper: Did you just say I'm paired with Sea Man?

Itzika: Yup! Now go out there and be hentai!

Sniper: WHAT?

Itzika: (grins) I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho… Ow! (takes a marble to the head) And now I forget what I was going to say.

Sea Man: Good.

Itzika: Oh yeah! I was about to tell about how you two make a great yaoi pairing! (is promptly trapped in alternate-dimension water beast)

Aquamarine Kitten (AMK): (smiles) On with the fic!

Itzika: (gurgle gurgle)

AMK: Oh yeah. Itzika says that after this, there will be much more active yaoi (actual kissing, making out, etc.) involved. Now, on with the fic!

---

Sniper's POV

---

It's called the Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon. Why the hell it's called that, I don't know. But I know that's what it's called, because Sea Man told me. And he's majoring in psychology, so he would know. It's when someone does to you like Sensui did to me. They start out small, asking you to do things that don't make any difference to you. So you do them, because they don't matter. Then they ask you to do something a little bit bigger, and a little bit bigger than that. In the end you do whatever they say, because you're so used to doing it, and anyway it's just a little bit more than they asked you for last time, right?

That's what I thought, too. Funny how even "higher beings" like psychics can fall for the same old tricks, huh? But then, Minoru was a master of those same old tricks.

It started in middle school. I didn't even think that much about the look on the boy's face when he came with Sensui to get me, a look like _Oh, shit, what have I gotten myself into?_ I just thought, _wow, he's hot_, and signed up for whatever it was. Anything to find out more about the person; anything to play their game. It's what all guys do, right? And just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm any exception.

He was blond. Usually to me, that's a total turnoff. It means whoever this guy is, he's foreign or something. But this one was different. He'd been hurt. Hurt bad, I mean, like I had, almost. He had something beneath the surface. That's what pain does to you; it gives you something below what people can see.

What Minoru said made sense. I mean, I was abused in all kinds of ways by my own dad. Why shouldn't the whole world be just the same?

Man, I was wrong. The whole world was so much worse.

It took us over a year to watch that tape, and we never even finished it. Black Angel didn't need us to see everything. He just wanted us to see the worst crimes of humanity against humanity. But there were a lot of them. It took barely a week for Sea Man to start having nightmares. More than once I woke up in the middle of the night and found out that he'd climbed in bed with me. He was always shivering, no matter where he was, and he was always sweating. I watched, over the weeks, as his eyes hardened and he became more powerful, more ruthless even, than me. I watched as we switched roles, and instead of me being his idol, he became mine.

It wasn't clear just how much Mitarai had become Sea Man until I heard him chanting. Sensui had taught it to us, the whole "Never satisfied, never full" thing, and we said it every day before and after we watched Chapter Black. But Sea Man said it all the time. Once, Sensui forgot to ask us to say it, and Sea Man reminded him.

Damn, I wanted to be like him. Which was the real reason I was so stunned when I found out he'd been beaten. And even more stunned when I found out he'd betrayed us.

When Sensui told me to kill him, well, that was the first order I knew I should question. But by them I'd seem over a thousand hours of Chapter Black. Sea Man—Mitarai—was just another worthless human. God. Shit. Damn, and all that. But it was true. He was human. He'd once again allied himself with the humans. And I was pretty much programmed to kill humans. So I shot.

He came to see me later. When it was all over, and I was healing under Doctor's influence in his psychic clinic, he came to see me and talk to me. He filled in the blanks that Sensui had so conveniently left open.

Kuwabara had saved his life. He'd brought Mitarai back. I would've switched sides, too. No matter what Chapter Black said, there are humans worth saving. The girl who gave her last lollipop to a homeless boy. The man who was late to work because he helped an old lady cross the street. The cousin who called the cops on my dad.

Mitarai. He's definitely worth saving.

And besides, I love him.

A year after he graduated from high school, two and a half years after I told him I loved him, three years and nine months after we met, he'd finally forgiven me. Hey, I wasn't the only one who tries to kill people. And he's admitted that had our roles been switched, he would have done the same, although it took about a year for him to say it.

Damn self-serving bias.

---

Normal POV

---

Mitarai came out of the shower, glancing over at the bed. He smiled a little as he saw Sniper lying there, having come in through the window; and turned away to find some clothes for school.

"Hey," Sniper called. Mitarai turned. "Come over here so I can mess up that pretty hair." Mitarai looked at him questioningly, not sure of his meaning. Sniper grinned, and Mitarai flushed. "Hentai," he muttered.

Sniper raised an eyebrow. "What? It's not like you're a virgin."

Mitarai blushed, if possible, even more. "I have to get to class," he managed to get out, starting to pull on a T-shirt.

Sniper stood and caught Mitarai's shoulders from behind. He snaked one hand up the other boy's shirt and, under the pretense of checking his temperature, pulled it back off. "No you don't," he said in mock concern, grinning wickedly. "You're burning up. You're not going back to school till you've rested." With that, he pulled Mitarai back onto the bed.

Mitarai couldn't help grinning when Sniper straddled his waist. "As if I'm gonna get any rest with you around," he murmured.

---

Sniper's POV

---

Sensui would kill us if he found out what we've come to, Mitarai and me. The Tantei would kill _me_ if they found me alive. But you know what? That doesn't matter. I'm not Sensui's lapdog or servant boy. I'm Mitarai's. He's mine. As long as that's true, then I'll keep living a doomed life. I'll even be on Chapter Black, and I'll blame the past on Sensui. I'll keep living this life that Sensui helped me screw up.

Damn foot-in-the-door phenomenon.

---

Itzika: Okay, that was about as hentai as I've ever gotten. That's just how I think Sniper would be. Oh, well. sigh I can't do more than lime, or I'll have to up the rating. I don't want to do that, since some of the things I'm fanfiction-ing are rated Youth. Like tomorrow's match-up: Keiichiro and Ryou, of Tokyo Mew Mew!

Sniper: Who are they?

Keiichiro: I love Ryou?

Itzika: See? It's true! He just said it!

Keiichiro: …

Sniper: My advice: don't say anything until you can blow her brains out.

Keiichiro: (looks stunned)

Itzika: (leaves them to it)

AMK: Review!

Itzika: Or we'll find out your favorite pairings and we won't do them! Hah!

AMK: How would we do that?

Itzika: …

…

…

I have _no_ idea. Oh, well.

AMK: Review anyways!


	2. Day 2

Chapter Rating: PG

Chapter Warnings: fluffiness in a major way (AMK: Yayness!), shonen-ai (Itzika: Wow. You know, I never coulda figured that out from the whole "yaoi" thing in the title.)

Itzika: Okay, ladies and gents, today we have an extra-special treat for all of you: Keiichiro and Ryou, of Tokyo Mew Mew!

AMK: It's only the second day, so this really isn't extra-special…

Itzika: Yes it is! Because for probably the only time in all 365 days of this fic, the two I paired together are too good friends to be disgusted and try to rip my head off, which means I can get to the good stuff that much faster! On with the fic!

AMK: We no own, so you no sue, okies?

Itzika: …Yeah. Like that. On with the fic!

---

About an hour after the girls had gone home and the café was closed, Keiichiro and Ryou were just preparing to leave.

Keiichiro was, for once, silent. His hands were as nimble as ever, but his focus was vague and he'd fumbled various tools and nearly dropped vials. He sighed and stopped to steady himself.

Ryou, at this point, decided to break the silence. Up to now, he had respected Keiichiro's space, but now his friend seemed more than just shaken. He had reason to be—the girls had very nearly been destroyed that day—but looking back, he'd been this way all day.

"Keiichiro," Ryou said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. It did not escape his attention that Keiichiro jumped at the physical contact. "What's wrong?"

Keiichiro turned towards Ryou, but continued to avoid eye contact. Brace himself against the table, breathe in, let it out. "When are you going to tell Ichigo-jo you love her?" he asked.

Ryou's eyes widened. Whatever he'd expected to hear, this hadn't been it. "I—I—" he stammered. He swallowed. "I don't," he said."

Keiichiro was not convinced. "You do."

Ryou sighed. Now it was histurn to avoid eye contact. "I care _about_ her," he admitted. "But I… don't care _for_ her… not that way. I thought I did… but I don't.

Keiichiro actually smiled. "Good. That makes this much less awkward." Not hesitating enough to doubt himself, he leaned forward and gently kissed Ryou.

Ryou stood stock-still after Keiichiro pulled away. The dark-haired boy blushed and looked away, sure he'd just ruined their friendship. He shouldn't have done that… But then a hand slipped up behind his neck. He met Ryou's eyes, startled.

"You didn't let me finish," Ryou whispered. "I don't love Ichigo. _I love you_." And he brought Keiichiro back into the kiss.

---

Itzika: Don't we all love fluff?

Ryou: No.

Itzika: You're right. I should have done like I did with Sniper and Sea Man, and done a—

Keiichiro: Itzika, the rating on this chapter is PG.

Itzika: Whoops. Thanks for the reminder, Keiichiro. Anyway, next up is a lovers' quarrel and fluff and vaguely possible… thing… in a PG-13 rated yaoi between Ren and Horohoro from Shaman King. (They… haven't been told yet.)

Ryou: Smart move.

Itzika: Thank you, Ryou-san.

AMK: Review!

Itzika: Not like I'll stop if you don't…

AMK: Sssshh! Don't tell _them _that!

Itzika: Oh yeah. That thing I just said… forget it. Review, cause otherwise I won't know what pairings to do. (I am _so _gonna run out…)

AMK: Bai bai!


	3. Day 3

Chapter Rating: PG-13

Chapter Warnings: load of fluff, Spin the Bottle, vaguely possible lime, lovers' quarrel(s)

Itzika: Ren and Horohoro, from Shaman King, can never seem to do _anything_ but fight. Why is that? Is it because they really can't stand each other? Or are they in love? I felt like taking a look at the second possibility. (They'll kill me…)

Ren: For once, you're right.

Itzika: Aaaahh! Jun, Anna, help meeeeeeeee!

Horohoro: (reads story) Wait a minute… we _kiss?_

Itzika: (runs away)

AMK: Itzika doesn't own Shaman King, but she does own 365 Days… so no using without permission! You don't sue us, we don't sue you. Got it?

---

It went something like this every night:

Horohoro: SHUT UP, REN!

Ren: Make me.

Horohoro: FINE! LET'S FIGHT!

Ren: I'm eating.

Horohoro: I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! LET'S FIGHT! YOU AND ME, HERE AND NOW, COME ON!

Anna: You do realize what a come-on is, don't you?

Horohoro: (pauses as he translates and runs through various slang references until he finds the one he's looking for) EWW, GROSS! YOU'RE DISGUSTING!

Anna: (looks up from her magazine just long enough to give Horohoro a death glare)

Horohoro: (runs to Yoh and starts complaining about Ren and Anna)

Et cetera, et cetera.

Manta always watched from a safe distance. Once or twice, it _had _escalated to a fight, one that Yoh or Anna had always stopped almost immediately. Yoh didn't much care for his friends' antics, but he always took it in stride. Manta hadn't even known he disliked it until Anna told him.

But whatever the cause, whatever the events that led up to it, Horohoro and Ren would fight, every night, without fail. Every time, even when they fought physically, they used their fists. No ghosts. No help.

Things changed on Anna's birthday. She wanted to make the boys regret throwing her a surprise party. So of course, what better way to do that than by playing spin the bottle?

Except, of course, rigging it by having Ponchi and Conchi stop the bottle from below the table.

---

"All right, boys and girls—" Piruka, Jun and Tamao were there too "—it's my birthday, and we're playing what _I_ want to play." As always, Anna's expression made it clear that anyone who objected would suffer dire consequences. No one was that stupid.

"And what I want to play," and Anna pulled out a wine bottle that they had just emptied at dinner, "is Spin the Bottle."

Ren, Horohoro, and Yoh all choked on whatever was in their mouths. "S-s-seriously?" Yoh stammered. Somehow he was managing to hope that Anna ditched him for a better kisser and dread just such an event at the same time.

"Seriously," Anna declared. She set the bottle down and said, "I'll go first, since it's my birthday." She gave the bottle a quick spin. Unsurprisingly, since it was rigged, it landed on Yoh.

"What're the odds…?" Horohoro muttered. Anna didn't doubt that he'd guessed her trick, and probably Ren too. Oh, well. If they knew what was good for them, they wouldn't say anything.

Anna walked over and knelt down by Yoh. She looped her thin arms around his neck and pulled him close. Smiling, she told her fiancé, "Come on."

Yoh looked around pleadingly. No one would meet his eyes; Horohoro was too busy laughing, Ren was looking anywhere but at the love scene unfolding in front of him; the girls were giggling behind their hands, and Ryu had disappeared.

With no other option, Yoh leaned forward until his lips touched Anna's, then pulled away as quickly as he could.

Anna smiled slightly. "That's okay for now," she said softly. "Yoh's up next."

When Yoh spun the bottle, Ponchi and Conchi were directed to stop it at Tamao. At this point the shy girl ran from the room, blushing a color that made her hair look pale in comparison.

Next, Anna chose at "random" and selected Horohoro to spin next. The blue-haired shaman took one look at Yoh and raised a hand. "Uh… could I just… I don't know… kiss my sister or something?"

"NO," Anna answered calmly. "That would be incestuous. The point of Spin the Bottle is a free make-out session."

Horohoro grumbled something unintelligible and spun the bottle.

Three spins… four… nearing five, and still going. The writing was blurred together, the wax seal looked perfectly round… and then the bottle stopped. No skidding, no slowing, just… stopped. Pointed at Ren.

Horohoro and Ren looked at each other, then back at the bottle, then back at each other. As one the two shouted "NO WAY!" Horohoro dove backwards and slid behind a chair; Ren backed against the wall with a look of horror on his face.

Anna shot them both a death glare.

Yoh decided to join the game and grabbed each friend by the collar. "Oh, come on, guys, it's just a game!" He made sure Anna couldn't hear and added, "Besides, she'll kill us if we don't."

Horohoro looked at Ren. Ren met his eyes. They both leaned in until they were only inches apart, then jerked back.

Jun had by this time decided that it would be fun to watch Ren kiss another boy, and had joined the campaign to get them together. She was gripping Ren's shoulders tightly, forcing him towards Horohoro, while Piruka did the same with her brother. Both sisters were grinning wickedly.

Ren and Horohoro struggled wildly, but in the end they were brought together and their lips were made to touch. Jun and Piruka held them there, as Ren and Horohoro's faces grew red. Finally, the girls released their brothers.

Anna was silent for a long moment. Then, as though solely to add insult to injury, she announced, "I could swear I saw tongue."

Ren and Horohoro turned, if possible, even redder. Completely unified in their train of thought, both yelled, "NOT ME!"

Anna looked over at them, hard. Both, for once, met her gaze without looking away. Anna raised an eyebrow and turned back to the wine bottle. "Well, one of you is lying," she said with a shrug.

Jun was giggling behind her hand. Controlling herself for a moment, she blurted out, "Actually… I think… they both are!" She and Piruka dissolved into laughter.

Ren was by now a shade of red that would have shamed a tomato, and Horohoro had long since disappeared under the table in the next room. He looked out only once during the remainder of the game, and looked at only one person.

Ren looked at him many more times than once.

"You know…" Horohoro said to no one in particular as the others were going to bed, "that kiss was… kind of… nice." In truth, he'd actually enjoyed it. But he'd never admit that out loud.

That night, Ren was seated on the balcony outside his room, staring up at the stars, when he heard a sound from the balcony a floor down. Looking over, he saw Horohoro leaning over the balcony looking up at him. Horohoro grinned up when he met Ren's eyes. Ren looked away in clear dismissal.

Horohoro's face fell; it seemed Ren's reaction to the kiss had been genuine, whereas his had been instinct. He drew away from the railing and turned to go inside.

Ren was in his way.

Horohoro faltered, startled. When had Ren—But it didn't matter. Ren didn't feel anything. Horohoro started to push past Ren when he felt the other boy grab his arm. Startled, the blue-haired shaman looked down a scant few inches into Ren's eyes. Ren met his eyes and almost defiantly pulled Horohoro down and kissed him.

Startled, Horohoro's lips opened just enough for Ren's tongue to slide inside. At that point he gave up all pretense of hating the other boy and picked him up, setting him down on the bed inside so that they were at eye level. The smaller gripped his shoulders, forcing him to come back into the kiss.

Ren had liked playing Spin the Bottle, too.

---

Itzika: Well, I'm ending it there since—as anyone who's read Day One knows—if I try to do a lime, one of the partners ends up a total hentai, and I prefer commitment to fax anyway. It means something.

Horohoro: We're still gonna kill you.

Itzika: Damn it Jim. (Inside joke…)

Ren: Do you want to take the first strike, or should I?

Itzika: (smiles wickedly) How nice, stepping aside for your lover.

Ren and Horohoro: (both charge Itzika)

Itzika: And you even think alike! (starts running) Next up, I get revenge for Darien always making Serena sad in the SuperS series by pairing him with Andrew!

AMK: Review, or suffer the agony of… NOT SEEING YOUR FAVORITE PAIRINGS! And Ren and Horohoro, stay the heck away from my sister! Or else…

Itzika: Or else she'll do a 365 Days too. (runs away again, this time with AMK following)


	4. Day 4

Chapter Rating: PG

Chapter Warnings: In-the-closet boyfriends, potential lime, fluffiness

Itzika: Today, Tuxedo Mask doesn't love Sailor Moon! Darien and Andrew are in love instead!

AMK: Mamoru and Motoki!

Itzika: Darien and Andrew!

AMK: Mamoru and Motoki!

Itzika: Darien and Andrew!

Andrew: (to Darien) You think they'll get so wrapped up in this they'll forget about us?

Darien: We can only hope.

AMK: Mamoru and Motoki, who, like the rest of Sailor Moon, we don't own!

Itzika: Darien and Andrew, who we will now see completely in love! On with the fic!

Darien: No such luck, apparently.

Andrew: (sweatdrop)

Darien walked down the street, ignoring the female heads that turned as he passed. Some male heads turned as well; Darien grinned at the ones he noticed. A few of them looked nice. He might have called them had he been available.

When he saw the Crown Arcade, Darien abruptly changed course and went in. As he had known, Andrew was behind the counter, sorting change. Darien crept up behind the blond and stood there. He was there for almost a full minute before the other reacted.

"I know you're there, Darien," Andrew announced, still not turning around. "Even if I hadn't seen you come in, I'd know."

Darien turned the other boy's head and kissed him, quickly and uncharacteristically gently. "I just wanted to see if you'd notice."

Andrew grinned, leaning back against the counter. "I noticed," he said. "You found me."

Darien finger-combed his boyfriend's hair. "Call it 'lover's intuition,'" he said, and grinned. "Or call it memorizing your schedule."

Andrew caught Darien's hand as it left his hair and leaned into the dark-haired youth, kissing him again, longer. Darien returned the affection. When they separated again, Andrew raised an eyebrow. "So, we're boyfriends, but apparently you're still flirting with girls."

Darien looked surprised. "Andrew, I haven't flirted with a girl since middle school. That was when we met, remember?"

Andrew leaned away, watching Darien with an "oh-really" look on his face. "Serena," he said.

It was Darien's turn to raise an eyebrow. "What about Serena?" he asked. "I don't flirt with her. It's not my problem if she can't tell I'm gay."

Andrew nodded. "She'll be able to tell in about thirty seconds if you don't let go of me," he told Darien. "They're coming. They like it here, or something."

Darien reluctantly let go, slid his hands into his pockets, and headed for the back of the room where the Sailor V machine stood. It was a stupid little game, really, but oh well. It was fun in its brainlessness.

Serena and her friends—namely Amy and Raye; Lita and Mina were on a trip of some kind—came in just as Darien beat the first level. Like clockwork, the blond headed for Andrew. Darien grinned to himself; poor, clueless Serena, no idea she was hitting on Darien's boyfriend.

Andrew seemed too nice to tell her, _again_. Darien sighed and cut through a dragon on the game. Why couldn't Andrew tell her? It would make his life so much easier.

Andrew, meanwhile, was wondering the same thing. He knew Serena liked him; he knew it would hurt her more to find out any way but from him; and yet he couldn't tell her. He could just keep talking until she left to play the games against Raye and Amy. When she finally did, he looked over. Sure enough, Darien was staring at him. Andrew grimaced. He couldn't help it; he didn't want to break her heart.

At the end of Andrew's shift, Darien stood and followed the other out of the arcade. Amy, Raye, and Serena had predictably disappeared to some room or other in the arcade; no one noticed Andrew's new shadow until they had both gotten to the green-eyed young man's apartment and were inside.

Once again, Andrew greeted his boyfriend before he looked, and once again Darien kissed him. The rest of what happened will be left to the reader's imagination.

---

Itzika: …So that I don't get hentai or make people mad at me.

Darien: I am NOT a stalker.

Itzika: Never said you were.

Andrew: …

AMK: (pokes Andrew) You two make a cute couple.

Darien: …

Itzika: (pokes Darien) STALKER!

Darien: (turns into Tuxedo Mask and chases Itzika, throwing roses at her)

AMK: Review, people!


	5. Day 5

Itzika: I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

AMK: Thanks to a lot of begging from me!

Itzika: That's nothing to be proud of, Imouto-chan.

AMK: Oh well!

Itzika: Yeah, so I had intended to leave, but people reviewed when I tried! What's up with _that?_ So, here's the deal: I will continue for five oneshots, and I will attempt to put them one per day. If I don't get any reviews by the end of those five oneshots (and you don't count, Imouto-chan)—

AMK: Wah.

Itzika: —I will put this story back on hiatus.

AMK: SO REVIEW PEOPLE!

Itzika: Anyway, as weird as he is, I really like Ayame's character. (Maybe it's because he's so weird… hmm.) So anyway, today he and the snake are getting together!

AMK: We no own, you no sue, okies?

Itzika: On with the fic!

---

It was Tori-san's birthday.

Ayame had been in love with Hatori since high school. He wanted to give the doctor the best birthday present he could.

The doctor's office was not far from Ayame's visiting home at the Sohma complex. Aaya, of course, had planned it that way.

"Tori-saaaaaan!" Aaya called out, stepping into Hatori's house. For once, the dragon wasn't out seeing a patient; apparently, he had taken Aaya's suggestion to take his birthday off work. Hatori looked up with some extremely minor interest as the silver-haired man came in.

"Ayame," Hatori nodded to the other.

Aaya acted the part of the snake he was, draping his arms around Hatori. "Tori-san," he purred. "Happy birthday."

Hatori looked at Aaya and raised an eyebrow. Ayame smiled, so genuinely happy to see him that Hatori expected to see manga-style sparkles around him.

Hatori made no move to stop the snake as he stood and, bringing himself closer to his love, kissed him.

The doctor, half surprised and half enjoying it, opened his mouth. Ayame's tongue slid inside, meeting his. Hatori's shock evaporated; his tongue twisted around Ayame's, pushing back in the fight for dominance, he pushed their tongues back into Aaya's mouth, tasting the other. His hands slid over Ayame, memorizing every curve and plane of the snake. One hand slid through the fastenings on Aaya's coat, up under the other man's shirt, wrapping around him. Hatori lifted Aaya with the other arm, Aaya wrapping his legs around Hatori. The dragon carried the snake to his room and deposited Ayame on the bed. Aaya was smiling as Hatori pulled away out of the kiss, as his hands moved to unfasten Hatori's pants, as Hatori worked at the buttons of his coat, at the shirt underneath.

---

Itzika: So there you have it. That's… the weirdest lime I've ever done.

AMK: Review, people!


	6. Day 6

Itzika: This comes to you by request of AMK!

AMK: _(squeals and claps hands)_

Itzika: _(smiles a little and avoids looking at AMK)_ Okay, folks, start the camera and run it backwards. We are gonna take a trip through the past to InuYasha's time. This is a before-to-during thing, not a "we're-already-a-couple-don't-ask-how" thing. So here you have it: the only possible way in my mind for Sesshoumaru to hook up with his little bro InuYasha!

AMK: We no own—

Itzika: And all that jazz. On with the fic!

---

Sesshoumaru walked silently through the forest. For once, he wasn't running, but truly walking, his steps light as air as he thought. Jaken did not dare to disturb him; no, not even Rin. Lord Sesshoumaru might do anything when he was interrupted.

The direction the youkai's thoughts had taken was unexpected even to him. His mind had wandered, but it constantly came back to the thought of his half-brother, and the disturbing thought that the half-breed presented. The thought was stranger than anyone could have imagined; it involved mating.

All Sesshoumaru had ever wanted in his eventual mate was for them to be powerful, and now he had found a powerful youkai. Well… half-youkai, anyway. The problem was that InuYasha was Sesshoumaru's half-brother. Mating was forbidden by the _human_ standards to which the other had to conform. But still—InuYasha was the most powerful being in the world!

Besides Sesshoumaru, of course.

Sesshoumaru pulled himself back to the real world as he sensed danger. He brought out his sword to block the oncoming youkai's attack, and felt the other push at his sword. The dog youkai turned to face his opponent. This one was strong, at least in body. If it was fast as well, Sesshoumaru would have to pay attention to deprive it of its body.

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru ordered automatically, "take Rin and go." He never wanted the girl to see the bloodshed. It was a bother sometimes, to have to worry about human sensitivity to such things. At least with his brother, he would never have to worry about that.

_Stop_, Sesshoumaru ordered himself. _Don't go there_. He had to focus, which he would never manage if his mind was on his brother. His half-human brother. His _powerful_ half-human brother.

_Stop_, Sesshoumaru ordered himself again. Looking at the outside world again, Sesshoumaru suddenly realized that the youkai's arm had abandoned his sword, his force against which had slackened when he started daydreaming. Now the demon was slashing at him with two sets of claws, knowing that a sword couldn't block both.

He… hadn't counted on Sesshoumaru's skill, however. The dog youkai slashed across his body, hacking one hand off. In the same second, he uncoiled his body from the twist, letting his own anatomy swing the blade through the tendons in the youkai's other arm. The demon fell to the ground, grinning.

"What are you so happy about?" Sesshoumaru asked as though it didn't matter. A moment later, he got his answer, as a knife pierced his shoulder from behind, dragging across his back, partially severing his spinal cord. The attacker pulled the knife down his back, leaving a stream of blood as Sesshoumaru fell to the ground. He could barely turn his head to look behind him, but whoever had attacked him had left as stealthily as they had arrived.

The youkai dragged himself up slowly, shaking with the effort. His whole body was rejecting his commands, and he fell, paralyzed and dying. Jaken wouldn't return; Sesshoumaru came for them. Rin would return, but too late. No one else in the world cared. Sesshoumaru cared for no one else in the world. An image of InuYasha appeared in his mind. Sesshoumaru almost laughed, closing his eyes; he had no reason to care about finding a mate anymore.

A familiar scent assaulted his nostrils. Sesshoumaru's eyes opened suddenly. It… couldn't be… there was no way… But his half-brother's scent continued to grow stronger, until he could tell exactly where he was. Sesshoumaru looked over at the half-demon standing by a nearby tree.

InuYasha's expression boded no good will to the next person who spoke to him, but Sesshoumaru couldn't just let that be. Not now. Not when it could cost him his life. "Otouto-san," Sesshoumaru said, and coughed blood. Every word cost him more effort than he'd ever had to exert in his life. "Help… me…"

InuYasha's expression darkened another shade. He lunged forward and grabbed the youkai's throat, dragging him up. Sesshoumaru winced. Damn it all. He hadn't even known it was possible to feel this much pain.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!" InuYasha shouted. "DID YOU JUST CALL ME YOUR _BROTHER! _HEADS UP, _BROTHER!_ YOU DON'T JUST FIGHT FOR YEARS, GET HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE KILLED, AND THEN TRY TO GET HELP BASED ON SOME KIND OF FAMILY TIES! YOU IDIOTIC—" InuYasha was abruptly cut off as Sesshoumaru kissed him. His eyes widened, but in his shock, he didn't pull away for several moments.

For Sesshoumaru's part, he wasn't sure why he was doing this. It wasn't doing him any good to kiss his brother, but he did it anyway, not quite daring to slide his tongue in and taste the other.

InuYasha finally realized what was going on and jerked away, shoving Sesshoumaru down. "_What_—" he panted, scrubbing at his mouth with his sleeve "—the _hell_—was _that?"_

Sesshoumaru lay still. He could feel his demon body already healing. "It was a kiss," he said calmly. "Don't you know that? I would have expected you'd have shared one with that girl by now."

InuYasha froze. "W-what? Kagome? That's… that's…"

"Sick? Disgusting?" Sesshoumaru laughed. "She is young, granted, but so are you, considering you've been sealed away most of your life."

InuYasha looked suspiciously at him. "Demon law says you don't marry someone who's more than fifty years or half their lifespan younger than you," he reminded his brother. "So what was that?"

Sesshoumaru slowly, haltingly, brought himself to a sitting position. He healed quickly; his attacker had been a fool to leave him alive. "Call me a law-breaker," he said softly. "Or say that you were alive through those fifty years; I don't care. But you do realize what you've become, with that Tetsusaiga, otouto-san?"

InuYasha narrowed his eyes and waited.

Sesshoumaru smiled. "Powerful." There, his body was weak but completely healed. He had needed only those moments in contact with another source of demon energy to jump-start his healing.

InuYasha sat stunned. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "Are you really so naïve you didn't notice?" he asked. InuYasha shook his head and started to laugh. "What's funny?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

InuYasha focused on his brother. "You finally admitted what I've known for a long time. But I can't help wondering, _brother_, if you would say the same if you were at full strength?"

"No." In response to InuYasha's triumphant look, he added, "If I were at full strength you would have already attacked me."

InuYasha nodded grudgingly. "Probably," he admitted.

"Not just probably, otouto-san," Sesshoumaru corrected him. "One of us would have had to leave with severe injuries by now."

"You mean, you would have had to leave with severe injuries by now," InuYasha corrected him in turn.

Sesshoumaru nodded. InuYasha stared in stunned silence. His half brother smiled and shakily stood and walked over to him. "You should be aware," he informed InuYasha, "that I will deny every word of this later. I will also deny this." And he leaned in and kissed InuYasha again.

This time the half-demon responded to the kiss. He wasn't just a tool, that much was clear. And even if he was—so what? In a moment of pure lust, driven by the feel of his brother against him, InuYasha responded. The two… it was clear now—Sesshoumaru was just like him in at least one very important respect.

InuYasha had only ever wanted a strong mate, too.

---

Itzika: Jeez, why do I always end the fic like that?

Sesshoumaru: Because you have a death wish.

Itzika: _(aside to AMK)_ I was _so_ hoping they weren't gonna show up…

InuYasha: And miss out on a chance to kill you? No way!

AMK: And, once again, the couple is united in the end by their mutual wish to kill Itzika!

Itzika: Imouto-chan, a little help here!

AMK: Coming, onee-chan!

Sesshoumaru: _(turns to AMK to attack)_

AMK: Or… not.

Sesshoumaru and InuYasha: _(redirect attacks and Itzika)_

Itzika: _(under her breath) _Traitorous imouto-chan. _(looks at murderous half-brothers, gulps, starts running)_


End file.
